Windsor's clothes Part 1

[Mr. Rover]

The fabrics have adapted to our lifestyles. With the omnipresence of air conditioning and central heating, there is rarely a need for the heavy worsteds and tweeds, despite how much better it looks on us.
The need for business attire and fall from the pedestal for suits in general really limits the range of colors in suits, anyway. Afterall, the key demographic for the businesses that make suits is business professionals.

[Baron Kurtz]

As a man from the countryside, i must say that heavyweight tweeds are an essential for comfortable living in the winter (think rambling, hiking, fishing, shooting etc.). The demise of suits made from truly heavyweight fabrics is something we should seek to redress. But they do still exist. There are some weavers in the Borders who make some nice heavywieght fabric.

Finding air conditioning in the UK is becoming easier i'm sure. I've been living abroad for a while so i don't know how prevalent air conditioning is today.

The weight of fabric is what attracted me to vintage suits. When i picked up a suit belonging to my grandfather i was astonished at the weight of it. Wearing vintage suits is an experience, if nothing else. You can actually feel that there is something hanging from your shoulders. Very gratifying. Lightweight fabrics just leave me with the impression that i've been ripped off.

bk

[preobrazhensky]

I think much of this practicality debate is missing the point. Yes, form follows function, but this should be nothing more than a starting point. We live in a strange, anti-sensual era, in which one step past utility is deemed indulgence. Architecture is no more than engineering, music has been allied to noise, and fiction to self-help. And the banker defines what passes for a suit because he must wear one! Surely the necessity of his uniform casts doubt on his attachment to or appreciation of its merits.
We do not participate in this forum because society deems we must be clothed, or to know best how to avoid catching cold from the elements. Indeed, if this were true then Mr. Alden should be considered a martyr for his imminent visit to Scotland! Without wishing to speak on his behalf, I should say that what has motivated this search is a mixture of feelings; a sense of responsibility for the maintenance of a tradition, and an attraction to the real and sensual qualities of that which he seeks, which ought to transcend its function and give pleasure.

[Mark Seitelman]

James & James (now incorporated into Davies & Son) had one or two of the Duke's cloths woven on the occasion of its purchase of some of the Windsor clothes at the Sotheby's auction.

James & James were the the successors to Scholte, and the Duke remained a customer with James & James. The firm was acquired by Davies & Son.

The plaid that I saw was a dark blue, not quite navy, very subtle glen plaid. The Duke's suit and piece of the recently woven cloth were on display in Venanzi in NYC. The original was 14 oz., and the new one is 11 oz. Davies has a few suit lengths left.

At either the Met's recent exhibit or at the display at Kiton NYC I saw one of Windsor's morning suits done in a similar, subtle glen plaid in charcoal.

Perhaps one of these Windsor glen plaids is an area of interest for a future cloth commission?

[chelsea]

Like Baron Kurtz, I am a fan of heavy weight tweeds and also of worsteds. The difficulty is finding such cloths as they are considered so unfashionable.

My heaviest tweed is a Brora estate cloth, which is wonderful to wear on those cold winter days. I wore it yesterday. For those of us who suffer lower back pain (and frankly that seems to be a fair proportion of the over 40's) I recommend high waisted heavy tweed trousers for keeping the cold out and keeping one pain free.

I am not in the tailoring trade and any advice where to find 18oz+ worsteds and 22oz+ tweeds greatly appreciated.

Once one has enjoyed these weights, it is only on hot summer days that one wants to wear ligh cloths. It is my opinion that for nine months of the year, so called heavy weights are perfectly comfortable in the UK climate. It is merely a question of getting used to the feel of wearing them.

[Outrigger]

On the subject of the Duke's trousers. I don't feel dressed without a belt, and I do like to have rear pockets in my trousers. I'm planning on having a suit made on Savile Row, purely because. I believe only a Savile Row bespoke tailor can produce jackets the why I want them. Will the tailor be prepared to meet my trouser requirements though? I'd rather not have to go to, one tailor for a Jacket and another for trousers for the same suit.

Peter Bailey

[dopey]

. . . I don't feel dressed without a belt, and I do like to have rear pockets in my trousers. I'm planning on having a suit made on Savile Row, purely because. I believe only a Savile Row bespoke tailor can produce jackets the why I want them. Will the tailor be prepared to meet my trouser requirements though? . . .

If you mean can they make trousers cut for belts and with rear pockets . . . of course they can. Those are perfectly ordinary requirements. You will need to ask for much stranger than that if you want to be shown the door.

[uppercase]

I wonder how many LL members actually have their trousers cut for braces and how many for belts.

Personally, I'm a belt person, probably an American attribute and have never been tempted whatsoever to venture into trousers cut for braces, perhaps a British preference....

I've discovered in Italy that some aficionados wear neither belt nor braces but have their trousers cut high on the waist, above the hip bone, and tailored in such a way that they need no support from either belt or braces. I believe that the belt loops are also eliminated in this style.

[Outrigger]

If you mean can they make trousers cut for belts and with rear pockets . . . of course they can. Those are perfectly ordinary requirements. You will need to ask for much stranger than that if you want to be shown the door.

I mean would they be happy making that style. Like a shirt maker can put french cuffs on a button down shirt. But that would be wrong.

I believe that the belt loops are also eliminated in this style.

I've tried that stle too, for casual trousers that i'd wear with nit wear. So neither belt or braces spoil the line of the sweater.

[Will]

I wear braces with suit trousers and my odd trousers are high waisted, with side tabs. I'm still wearing out some belted trousers but when they are gone, that will be the end of belts for me.

[dopey]

If you mean can they make trousers cut for belts and with rear pockets . . . of course they can. Those are perfectly ordinary requirements. You will need to ask for much stranger than that if you want to be shown the door.

I mean would they be happy making that style. . . ..

Yes

[whittaker]

I wonder how many LL members actually have their trousers cut for braces and how many for belts.

For me, neither. I prefer side buckles. Given a choice between belt and braces I would select the belt.

[TVD]

Belts only for casual summer trousers. Heavy winter fabrics such as moleskins will not accept orders from any belt, rendering it useless anyway. Backpockets.

Suits with beltless trousers. Side adjusters. As my weight tends to drop from skinny to haggard on occasion, they are required. No back pockets.

Formal trousers with fishtail back and braces. Obviously no back pockets. After all, tails have pockets inside already.

[uppercase]

I hadn't thought of side adjusters.....

Is it correct that with side adjusters, it's necessary to always keep one's coat buttoned so as to avoid showing a 'bare' belt line....?

[TVD]

I have no idea whether it is correct to show or not to show, but I definitely do not worry about it. These days, wearing a coat in your office is a surefire way to make everybody else feel uncomfortable.

In one's club, or a restaurant, it is a completely different matter, and the sight of some ignoramus hanging his coat over his chair in a favourite dining room of mine renders me near apopleptic. Surely, he could at least send the offending item to the cloak room.